Low Water Use Landscaping – GROUND COVERS

Saving water in the desert is not only cost-effective it is also environmentally smart. Lawns consume huge amounts of water to stay green. Your Tucson Real Estate can be just as green, colorful and lush without wasting water on grass. Ground cover plants can enliven an area by carpeting bare soil or rocks and there are low water use ground covers available to you. There is a common misconception that low water use plants are thorny. I do not like thorns so here are some options that you might find interesting:

Trailing Acacia (Acacia Redolens) is a fast growing, low water use and low litter ground cover that is native to Australia. This evergreen plant has small yellow flowers in the early spring, is tolerant of direct reflected sunlight and temperatures as low as 15 degrees. NO THORNS!

Trailing Desert Broom (Baccharis hypbrid) is a fast growing, low water use and low litter horticultural selection ground cover. This evergreen plant has white (non-showy) flowers in the fall, is okay in direct sunlight and hardy to 5 degrees. NO THORNS!

Red Spike Ice Plant (Cephalophyllum ‘Red Spike’) is a slow-growing, low water use and low litter horticultural selection ground cover. This evergreen plant has brilliant red-cerise flowers in the winter to early spring, is tolerant of direct sunlight and is hardy to 20 degrees. NO THORNS!

Damianita (Chrysactinia Mexicana) is a slow-growing, VERY low water use, low litter ground cover that is native to western Texas and Mexico. This evergreen plant has golden-yellow, daisy-like flowers in the spring and fall, is tolerant of direct reflected sunlight and is hardy to zero degrees. Damianita has fragrant foliage and NO THORNS!

Bush Morning Glory (Convolvulux Cneorum) is a fast growing, VERY low water use, low litter ground cover that is native to southern Europe. This evergreen plant has showy white flowers in the spring, is tolerant of direct reflected sunlight and is hardy to 15 degrees. Although the Bush Morning Glory requires well-drained soil, it has NO THORNS!

Trailing Dalea (Dalea Greggii) is a moderate growing, low water use and low litter ground cover that is native to the Chihuahuan Desert. This evergreen plant has lavender-purple cluster of flowers in the spring and summer, is tolerant of direct reflected sunlight and is hardy to 15 degrees. In addition to the ability to tolerate tough conditions, the Trailing Dalea has NO THORNS! This plant is also known as Trailing Indigo Bush.

Blue Euphorbia (Euphorbia Rigida) is a slow to moderate growing, VERY low water use and low litter ground cover that is native to the Mediterranean. This evergreen plant has chartreuse flowers midwinter through spring, can tolerate direct sunlight and is hardy to 15 degrees. The Blue Euphorbia has no thorns but may irritate the skin.

Trailing Gazania (Gazania Rigens) is a moderate growing, low water user and low litter ground cover native to South Africa. This evergreen plant has brilliant orange, bronze and yellow daisy-like flowers from late winter through spring, can tolerate direct sunlight and is hardy to 15 degrees. Trailing Gazania may die out in the summer if over-watered and has NO THORNS!

Gray Ice Plant (Malephora Crocea) is a moderate growing, VERY low water use and low litter ground cover that is native to South Africa. This evergreen plant has orange to red flowers with yellow centers in the spring, can tolerate direct sunlight and is hardy to 20 degrees. You can also grow the Gray Ice Plant in containers and it has NO THORNS!

Trailing Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) is a moderate growing, low water use and low litter ground cover. This evergreen plant has blue flowers winter through spring, can tolerate full sun and is hardy to 15 degrees. Trailing Rosemary has fragrant foliage and NO THORNS!

Once again, using low water use landscaping can not only make your Tucson Real Estate more beautiful, it can also make it worth more.